NORTHERN ARIZONA / WELCOME
Less than 120 miles from Metropolitan Phoenix, Northern Arizona offers idyllic hometowns and an enviable quality of life. This fast-growing area encompasses the city of Prescott and its neighboring communities along with the Mountain city of Flagstaff and even the Grand Canyon. As the original Territorial Capital of Arizona, Prescott boasts a colorful and rich history that is preserved today in museums and historic sites as well as annual festivals and celebrations. Yavapai County was one of the original four counties formed prior to Arizona statehood and once sprawled over 65,000 square miles. This “mother of counties” was eventually divided into Apache, Coconino, Gila, Maricopa, and Navajo counties. Coconino County can now boast that it is the largest county by land area in the 48 Continuous states covering more than 18,000 square miles of open space and alpine splendor.
Only in recent decades has the region experienced a tremendous boom in population and development, transforming pine-clad havens with many seasonal and retirement homes into thriving communities that supports more than 250,000 residents. Amenities, conveniences, and the local economy are expanding with the boom in population, drawing national attention as one of the nation’s most desirable environments. Already dubbed as “Everybody’s Hometown,” the charming city of Prescott has stepped into the spotlight for its unrivaled quality of life and unique attributes as a great place to relocate or engage in commerce. While places like Flagstaff and the idyllic Sedona attract millions of visitors to their scenic wonders. Part of the city’s wonderful downtown Courthouse Plaza district is now an enterprise zone. Hundreds of acres of industrial parks are zoned for the Tri-City region, encouraging quality commercial and business development. In the recently published book “Cities Ranked and Rated,” Prescott ranked number six out of the 45 top emerging U.S. metropolitan areas and was described as a “clean, quiet city with an Old West feel.” Prescott was further distinguished as the only Arizona city on this select list of emerging metropolitan areas. Flagstaff serves as a hub for transportation and commerce based on its location along the Interstate 40 and the location of a major rail line that passes right through town. Several large corporations use Flagstaff as a distribution point.